I was living in Dallas, Texas at the time and attending a church in South Arlington. The church sent an email out that week inviting members to attend the filming of a Christian television show. Our pastor was scheduled to be interviewed on the show about his new book. I decided to attend to show my support.
As I drove to the studio, I felt a strong leading to pray for the Holy Spirit to show up during the filming. I do not think I even realized it was the Lord leading me at that time but I started praying nonetheless. I kept appealing to the Lord, saying, “Holy Spirit, show up. Holy Spirit, show up.”
When I arrived, I saw that the show was part of the Trinity Broadcasting Network. I had never been to one of TBN’s tapings before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. As I stood in the lobby, waiting for the doors to open, I kept praying under my breath. Even after entering the studio audience, I repeated, “Holy Spirit, show up. show up.” Something stirred me to keep asking.
After a brief time of worship, our pastor was interviewed first, delivering a short message on the subject of his book. After him, another guest came on the stage and began to answer questions about his ministry to underprivileged families and children in the inner city where his ministry was located. While he spoke, the atmosphere started to shift. I could sense the peace of God on the conversation.
Then a third guest stepped up onto the stage. I cannot tell you his name or what he spoke about but I can tell you something incredible happened while he spoke. Seemingly out of nowhere, a presence entered the room. The best way I could describe it is as a blanket of glory. I had experienced the presence of the Lord but I had never felt anything like this. A rush of peace, love and joy filled my heart. As silly as it sounds, it seemed like my entire body was immersed in a “hot tub” of Holy Spirit power.
Five seconds after His presence came, the speakers stopped speaking. They turned to the audience and the interviewer said, “The Holy Spirit is here.” He stood up and completely forgetting what they had been discussing, he began to deliver a vibrant message from the Lord. He walked out into the audience and then paced up and down the floor in front of the stage, preaching about the power of God to change lives.
The weight of God’s glory in the room was a life-altering experience for me. However, one thing the preacher kept saying saddened my heart. He kept mentioning that this was how it used to be; this was how the presence used to come; this was what it was like in the good, old days.
In that moment, the Lord branded a call upon my heart: Don’t lose the fire of the Lord! Don’t let the presence and power of the Lord get stuck in the “good, old days.” Keep the fire fresh. Keep the flame lit. Keep the presence real. Keep the heart pure.
“Jesus, lead us with Your gentle presence today. Lead us into more of you. We want and need You to show up. Holy Spirit, will You show up in my life today?” {eoa}
Troy Black is a Christian Youtuber, author and prophetic voice. His ministry and life are led by two simple goals: to be obedient to the Holy Spirit and to get the Gospel of Jesus Christ in front of as many people as possible. You can find videos and other resources from Troy at troyblackvideos.com.
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